488 results
 International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN)

There is growing evidence that seagrasses are experiencing declines globally due to anthropogenic threats (Short and Wyllie Echeverria 1996, Duarte 2002, Orth et al. 2006). Runoff of nutrients and sediments that affect water quality is the greatest anthropogenic threat to seagrass meadows, although other stressors include aquaculture, pollution, boating, construction, dredging and landfill activities, and destructive fishing practices. Natural disturbances such as storms and floods can also cause adverse effects.

 UNEP/GEF
  1. A defining feature of the Pacific is the Western Pacific Warm Pool ecosystem. The limited land base of the area is distributed among 200 high islands and 2,500 low islands and atolls. All
    participating islands lie in the tropical zone and experience sea surface temperatures that rarely fall below 20 degrees Celsius. In general, the islands increase in size from east to west such that over 83% of the region's land mass is situated in Papua New Guinea, and most of the rest is in the other Melanesian countries and territories.

    Available online

 University of Southern California

Historical reports of an earthquake in Tonga in 1865 November identify it as the only event from that subduction zone which generated a far-field tsunami observable without instruments.
Run-up heights reached 2 m in Rarotonga and 80 cm in the Marquesas Islands. Hydrodynamic simulations require a moment of 4 x 1028 dyn cm, a value significantly larger than previous
estimates of the maximum size of earthquake to be expected at the Tonga subduction zone. This warrants an upwards re evaluation of the tsunami risk from Tonga to the Cook Islands

 Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)

This report describes the background, progress and status of activities under the accountability of SPREP's Assistant Project Officer. Ozone Depleting Substances (APO ODS) during the three-year contract at SPREP. It is intended as an overview primarily for SPREP Management, the new APO ODS and SPREP programme staff. This report may also be used by Pacific Island Countries (PICs).
executing agency (UNEP) and donors (Montreal Protocol's Multilateral Fund and Australia) on the status of the Project at SPREP.

Available online

Call Number: [EL]

 United States Coral Reef Task Force

The American Samoa Local Action Strategies (LAS) are the result of a nearly two-year process that saw input from territorial agencies, non-profit groups, interested individuals, and other stake-holders such as local fishers, and federal agency partners. This process was initiated through the American

 Smithsonian Institution

Several large regions of the world are plagued by
conservation problems shaped around a particular inherent
set of geographical, biological and human conditions which
have been operational for varying periods of time. Typical
of situations facing Latin America are the progress of
economic development in Amazonia with its attendant loss of
rainforest biodiversity, and the Central American
"hamburger connection" involving conversion of forests to
grazing land to support the export of cheap beef to the

 The Smithsonian Institution

At the time of the POBSP visit, cats (Felis domestica), dogs

 Smithsonian Institution

Mauke, Mitiaro and Atiu are deeply eroded volcanic islands in the southern Cook Islands, south Pacific, each surrounded by a rim of elevated Cenozoic reef limestone (makatea). This paper presents the results of instrumental topographic surveys of each

 Tidal Influence Media

Natural resources derived from the non-living world, e.g. land, water and air.The provision of access to genetic resources within a country and the sharing of benefit derived from the use of genetic resources.Management practices, technologies and policies that promote the positive and mitigate the negative impacts on biodiversity.

 SPREP Pacific Environment Information Network (PEIN)

In a unique move Tokelau requested all regional and international organizations that it is affiliated to either through full membership, associate or by accessing through regional international projects, to visit and consult Tokelau as a "body corporate" or all at once. The intention is to assist a small tiny country in managing all the possible assistance available from these organizations so that the actual assistance itself could be much more effective in their delivery and avoid duplication.

Available online

Call Number: [EL]

 Institute of Applied Sciences,  The University of the South Pacific

This is a preliminary report of a long term environmental study of Laucala Bay and Suva Harbour. It is presented as a background paper to the discussion of Biogas as a potential energy resource. In this context, the presentation and discussion is not comprehensive to the general title. Most of the results refer to the period September 1977 to January 1978, with comparative figures being available from 1976 and 1975.

Available online

Call Number: [EL]

Physical Description: 8 Pages

 Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)

The Government of Samoa under its Environmental Policy Framework established rules and procedures to be followed under IAMP Phase 2 with regard to environmental assessment, monitoring and mitigation of potential negative impacts. For projects with no, or low but acceptable environmental impacts, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) may issue a waiver to the proponent from the further requirements of the draft EIA Regulations. In issuing a waiver, the CEO MNRE will rely on the advice of the Assistant CEO, PUMA.

 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

In 2007, the UNFCCC Secretariat prepared a report on
"Investment and Financial Flows to Address Climate
Change".11 The report covers mitigation and adaptation in
various sectors over the period to 2030. The report defines
an investment as the initial (capital) cost of a new physical
asset with a life of more than one year, such as the capital
cost of a gas-fired generating unit or a water supply
system. A financial flow is an ongoing expenditure related
to climate change mitigation or adaptation that docs not

 Ministry of Transport

Non-friable, corrugated, compressed asbestos-cement sheeting, derived from the NZ Aid refurbishment and renovations programme of schools and other Government buildings on Rarotonga

Available online

Call Number: [EL]

Physical Description: 2 Pages

 Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)

The Government of Samoa under its Environmental Policy Framework established rules and procedures to be followed under IAMP Phase 2 with regard to environmental assessment, monitoring and mitigation of potential negative impacts. For projects with no, or low but acceptable environmental impacts, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) may issue a waiver to the proponent from the further requirements of the draft EIA Regulations. In issuing a waiver, the CEO MNRE will rely on the advice of the Assistant CEO, PUMA.

 Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)

One of the greatest challanges we face in protecting our islands biodiversity is how to balance the needs of the people that use it, and the future of the environment. There are many reasons why the Pacific islands way of life is endangered, it is
necessary to address these threats, all of them. Understand ing their causes will help to stop them, if it is possible or to change or adapt our way of life. It is necessary to focus on long term sustainability strategies, but in the mean time develop and carry out short term projects to address the immediate needs of our islands.

 The Pacific Science Board

Although ornithological observations have not been the main object of any pliase of our work on the Northern Marshall Islands, numerous notes on birds have accumulated which are here placed on record, The birds were identified by use of Ernst Mayr's "Birds of the Southwest Pacific!' and the names used here are mostly those accepted by Mayr in that work. UnIortunately it was impractical to document these records with specin?ens. The sight observations presented should therefore be acceprcd with some reservations.

Available online

Call Number: [EL]

 Smithsonian Institution

Nukutipipi atoll (5 km2), of volcanic origin 16-17 million years old on the Pitcairn (hot spot) Hereheretue line, presents a land flora and fauna of low diversity but with a Pisonia forest and hundreds of resident red-tailed tropic birds. Nukutipipi suffered from the 1983 hurricanes : destruction of vegetation and motu as well as sand lagoon mollusc populations. The north and south rims present original geomorphological structures.

 UNEP-GEF Biosafety Unit

Available online

Call Number: 333.7 UNI [EL]

Physical Description: 56 p.

 Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)

For Pacific SIDS, the need for adaptation to climate change has become increasingly urgent. Long-term climate changes, including the increasing frequency and severity of extreme events such as high rainfall, droughts, tropical cyclones, and storm surges are affecting the lives and livelihoods of people in PICs. Coupled with non-climate drivers, such as inappropriate land use, overexploitation of resources, increasing urbanization and population increase, development in the region is increasingly undermined.